The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-12-22
FARMING THAT PAYS.
A Description of the Methods of an Oco-
nee Farmer who Makes Money.
T Eton. Tic Kcowee Courier. |

A Description of the Methods of an Oco
nee Farmer who Makes Money.
! From, the Kcouce Courier,
We had short talk last week with
Mr.. L. Brandt about his plan of farming
and expect to look over his farm during
the ensuing year. He owns about ll9
acres of land near Walhalla, which
originally cost two dollars per acre. It
is ridge, gray land of little native fertil-
ity, with less than one acre of strips oil
branch bottom on it. He claims to have
in cultivation about 90 acres, originally
so poor that neighbors used to say he
could not make a living or the land.
Since the war he has built good house,
barn and other out-buildings on it, and
brought up the open land to high state
Of fertility. On this poor land he start
ed and tells us he has raised a family of
thirteen children.
Besides his buildings and improving
the land, he has good personal property
around him and is out of debt. He
grows his own corn, meat, -four, molasses,
tobacco, rice, &C., and generally surplus
of these, and always has his cotton crop
clear of supplies. He told us that with
his large family he had never been re.
quired to call in the services of physi.
clan. This is the experience Of man
living in one mile of Walhalla, on a
high, dry, naturally unproductive ridge,
starting at the ground, bringing up a
large family and accumulating property.
1t is an experiment in intensive diversi.
fed farming on a medium scale, which
could be extended in proportion to the
capital put in.
Will farming pay in this country? Is
it the fault of soil or climate or food or
drought or other providential disasters
that cuts off our crops and leaves 80
many farmers in debt at the end of the
year? Or is it largely due to want of
energy, judgment and constant applica-
ton to the needs of the farm?
We were struck with one remark of
Mr.. Brandt's: "With me time is money,
and I cannot tell day or hour when I
could not find something to do and which
ought to be done about the farm" This
doubtless is the key to his success, as it
is to success in every calling in life.
Liberal manuring is the chief element
of success. He tells us be plants no
crop without manuring it. This he
makes all the year in leisure moments by
gathering up woods earth, leaf mould,
rotten logs and littering stalls and pens,
as often as necessary. he says he does
not use guano as rule, but has used at
times 100 pounds of acid to the acre on
vegetable matter. No one but those who
have tried it can tell how much manure
can be made in the days and hours gen.
orally lost by farmers. We are satisfied
one hand, in favorable localities in woods
convenient to field, could, by using FIVE
bushels of lime day, average penniDg,
fifteen two horse loads. Of course it is
not as good as stable manure, but would
it not pay and be cheaper and more
lasting than commercial fertilizers?
Tenants may say this is work for the
landlord without pay, but We are satisfied
landlords will always contribute fair
portion of the expense, and the tenant,
if good one, can arrange to remain on
the land if he wishes and enjoy the ben
efits of better land from year to year.
In the fall and winter, tenants on farms
find themselves unable to hire aud if
they would arrange with landlords TO
make manure on fair terms, they would
get pay for idle time, part in money and
part in the saving of the cost of fertil-
izers. All parties would be benefited,
and continuous tenant would be doubly
benefited by an annually increased yield
from the same land with less labor. We
would like to hear from experiments in
this line by individuals and landlords.
In the matter of planting cotton Mr..
Brandt says he lays off his rows four feet
wide and thins to one stalk about two
feet in the drill. Persons who have
observed the fruit on stalks in skipped
places and compared them with stalks
where they call it a good stand will see
the importance of distance in cotton as
we'll as in corn. When cotton land is
washed, too, they can see perfect net
work of roots, feeders to the plant,
extending clear across rows, showing the
value of distance, not only in letting the
sun in, but in furnishing nutriment to the
plant, preventing shedding and develop.
ing large, healthy bolls.
AS to the time and manner of laying
off the ground, he says he runs it of
with shovel plough in February (run.
ming twice in same furrow if he has time
and then runs bull tongue as deep as
he can after the shovel. These furrows,
opened deep, are left open, subject to
rains and atmospheric action, till time to
put in the manure. A fresh furrow is
then run, the manure put in, two furrows
thrown on it and then bedded. The
after cultivation is shallow. The deep
plant furrow, he claims, not only renders
the manure most available in the fruiting
season, but the tap roofing striking down
is a protection against drought and she'd
ding.
His plan commends itself to common
sense and his success in the cultivation
of cotton should lead to its general trial.
The Latins, in the palmy days of Rome,
held the maxim, Experience is the best
teacher" 1t is as true now as then, but
ifs truth in M way deropates from the